After making observations of their natural surroundings, students uncover the intricate relationships between the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere. This introductory lesson uses the 5E instructional model. All background information,...(View More) student worksheets and images/photographs are included in these downloadable sections: Teacher's Guide, Student Capture Sheet and PowerPoint Presentation.(View Less)

Water is essential to Earth's living system, the biosphere. In this lesson, students determine the types of living things within an outdoor study site, use a taxonomic key to determine the predominant land cover type of their site, then predict the...(View More) amount of water present. Data collection is based on protocols from the GLOBE program. This activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the "Survivor Earth" series of one-hour lessons.(View Less)

In this activity, participants learn about the hydrosphere by making observations and taking measurements. They will go outside and use scientific equipment to investigate temperature, pH and transparency of a body of water. They will use this...(View More) qualitative and quantitative data to understand why it is important to know about the condition of freshwater sources in many places in the natural environment and how these places are connected in the water cycle. Data collection is based on protocols from The GLOBE Program. This activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the "Survivor Earth" series of one-hour lessons.(View Less)

Students will design, build and then test a rain gauge to measure precipitation. By sharing their results, they will recognize the need for standardization and precision in scientific tools. All background information, student worksheets and...(View More) images/photographs/data are included in these downloadable sections: Teacher’s Guide, Student Capture Sheet and PowerPoint Presentation. This activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the Survivor Earth series of one-hour lessons.(View Less)

This lithograph outlines the components of our heliosphere, using current information released by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spacecraft team. Learners will view an illustration of our heliosphere on the front of the product, read...(View More) information about the heliosphere on the back, and then use the lithograph image itself as part of a model of the heliosphere that uses water to represent outflowing solar wind in an activity titled, "Model The Heliosphere Using Your Kitchen Sink."(View Less)

This lithograph outlines the components of our heliosphere, using current information released by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spacecraft team. Learners will view an illustration of our heliosphere on the front of the product, read...(View More) information about the heliosphere on the back, and then use the lithograph image itself as part of a model of the heliosphere that uses water to represent outflowing solar wind in an activity titled, "Model The Heliosphere Using Your Kitchen Sink."(View Less)

Learners will visit a sequence of stations to discover how the dark and light areas and craters we see on the Moon's face today record major events of its lifetime. While they may visit the stations in any order, the stations trace the Moon's...(View More) 4.5-billion-year history from "infancy" to the imagined future. The children tie together major events in the Moon's geologic history as a series of comic panels in their Marvel Moon comic books. At each station, the children identify the lunar features that were produced during that era on a Moon map. This activity is part of Explore! Marvel Moon, a series of activities developed specifically for use in libraries.(View Less)

Learners go outside on a clear evening and view the sky to see the Moon for themselves. Using sky charts, children navigate the Moon’s impact craters, flat plains (maria), and mountains with the naked eye and binoculars or telescopes. This outdoor...(View More) night viewing can be combined with the indoor stations activity, Growing Up Moon, or the outdoor activity, Mirror Moon. This activity is part of Explore! Marvel Moon, a series of activities developed specifically for use in libraries.(View Less)